EIU Observatory Open Tonight

The Eastern Illinois University Astronomy Club and members of the University’s Physics Department invite students and members of the community to participate in an EIU Observatory Open House tonight, September 29. The viewing will begin at 8 p.m.

Steven Daniels, chair of EIU’s Physics Department, encourages any interested participants in the area to attend the open house event. Daniels also recommends bringing additional binoculars or equipment from home if available.

“We use the observatory for classes and research here at the University,” Daniels said, “but we also want this facility to be used for community outreach. We want to share the enjoyment of learning about astronomy with others.”

Those attending the event will have the opportunity to observe clear skies with binoculars and telescopes. If the weather is overcast, attendees will receive a complete tour of the facility. The observatory regularly uses a 16-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, which is computer controlled for both positioning and data acquisition. However, while the main telescope is currently being repaired, but the facility has a variety of smaller telescopes set up to look at Jupiter, Saturn, the Moon, and the stars.

The observatory is located near the EIU baseball stadium and can be found by searching for "EIU Observatory" on Google Maps. Free parking is available in the Eastern Illinois University W Lot. The Open House viewing also is free of charge.